


hope and fear set free

by thetalkingcrocus



Category: Zombies Run!
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Season/Series 03, Self-Sacrifice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-30 17:33:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14502024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thetalkingcrocus/pseuds/thetalkingcrocus
Summary: “From too much love of living,From hope and fear set free,We thank with brief thanksgivingWhatever gods may beThat no life lives for ever;That dead men rise up never;That even the weariest riverWinds somewhere safe to sea.”-The Garden of Proserpine, Algernon Charles Swinburne





	hope and fear set free

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to my tumblr October 12 2014. Major spoilers through S3M60.

“From too much love of living,

         From hope and fear set free,

We thank with brief thanksgiving

         Whatever gods may be

That no life lives for ever;

That dead men rise up never;

That even the weariest river

         Winds somewhere safe to sea.”

- _The Garden of Proserpine_ , Algernon Charles Swinburne

* * *

 

A year after you became invincible, you became Icarus.

Icarus who you learned about in school, in mythology class because other people’s stories, other people’s gods weren’t good enough for Religion. Icarus who flew too high on that rush of exhilaration that comes with newfound freedom, who came crashing down on the ocean waves when the metal feathers fell from him like stars (like your flesh from your bones)

You really should have seen it coming, have heard your own arrogance echoed back to you since childhood, have known the sin of vanity nests deep in your breast, and yet- you never expected that last blessed moment. You couldn’t have. 

You don’t expect to grow up to be immortal

You certainly don’t think that once the blood in your veins thrums with ichor instead, it will revert in that sweetspot between sea and sun. 

You shake your head as you realizes that Icarus, too, never expected to fall. 

“it’s the right thing to do. you’re doing the right thing.”

The last thing Icarus felt was the sun on his skin

The last thing he saw were the crashing waves

And god, if he didn’t have to die to feel alive…

You don’t have the sun or the waves but you have her voice and the open sky and the heavy knowledge that this is right. That you are finally, blessedly, doing something right.

You place the net over your head and flex your hands (the skin is itching again) and feel the connection taking place.

Metal and wax wings braced, you prepare for liftoff. 

You fly as you fall.

There’s a grin on your screaming face.

You’re free. 

You’re safe.

You’re home. 

There’s a moment after it hurts so badly, where it doesn’t hurt at all anymore.

You sigh in relief because you know, now.

Icarus did the right thing.


End file.
